Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.)

A. STOCKDALE.

CARPET STRETGHBR.

N. PUERS PhowLnhognPhur, washington. D c

rUNITED STATES PATENT @Frieso ALEXANDER STOCKDALE, OF VOLCOTT, IOVA.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION omring part of Letters Patent No. 368,250, dated August 16, 1887.

Application tiled June 20, 1887. Serial No. 241,907. (No in del.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER S'rocK- DALE, of Volcott, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garpet-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a carpet-stretcher to stretch carpets on floors preliminary to tacking them down; and it consists of a pair of tongs or pinchers, with lateral jaws for grasping the carpet, so connected to a draw-bar that its-movement forward or backward will cause the jaws to open or close.

It frirther consists of a foot which may be anchored tothe floor through points on its under suface, and to its ripper srirface is hinged the end of an arm constituting a lever, the hinge being the frilcriiin.

It further consists in connecting the tongs or pinchers with the lever by pivoting the end of the draw-bar thereto; and it further consists of ratchet-teeth cut on the forward side and ripper portion of the lever to engage with a pawl or arm pivoted to the draw-bar, for the purpose, in connection with the anchorage to the floor by means of the foot, of holding the carpet stretched so that the operator may secrire the carpet in such position by tacking it to the floor.

The accompanying drawing is a perspective view of my carpet-stretcher, representing the strrictiire anchored to the door and grasping the carpet preliminary to stretching it, by throwing the ripper end of the lever backward.

B is a foot, its lower surface somewhat in form like the letter T, having sharp points a on its lower surface, which through pressure from the operators foot engage with thefioor, forming an achorage.

A is an arm or lever which I hinge or pivot to the 'upper srirface of the foot, as shown in the drawing at b. The hinge or pivot at b forms the fulcruin of the lever, and the ripper end of the lever terminates in a handle. These constitute the mechanism for the anchorage and power in my device.

My device for grasping and holding' the carpet is as follows: D D are jaws extending laterally from the pivoted arms E E, forming the tongs or pinchers by being pivoted together at c. A draw-bar, C, forms the connection between lever A and arms of tongs or pinchers E E', and through the medium of which jaws' connected with longitudinal slot d by a bolt,

y, passing through said arm and slot and riveted at both ends, so as to hold said arm and yet permit it to move on said bolt backward and forward in said slot.

The short arm or pawl G is pivoted to drawbar C at h, the opposite end of which engages with the ratcliet-teeth 1l, cut on the front side and ripper portion of lever A.

rlhe mode of operation is as follows: YThe operator places the carpet H between the jaws D D', the opposite end of the carpet being tacked to the floor, and throwing the lever A forward, so as to bring the foot B back a sufficient distance, he then presses on foot B with his foot, so as to force its points a iii the floor and form an anchorage, and taking hold of the upper part of lever A with his hands draws it backward, which operation closes the jaws D D rrnly upon carpet H, and also draws or stretches the carpet to the extent permitted by the backward movement of lever A, at which time the operator with one hand elevates or swings the arm or pawl G into engagement with the ratchet-teeth fr' on lever A. This holds lever A, tongs or pinchcrs E E and I) D', and carpet H in position, the operator retaining his foot on foot B, to insrire continued anchorage, and, releasing his hands, can then prit stay-tacks in front of jaws D D through the carpet into the floor, after which the carpet-stretcher can be removed.

I am aware that carpet-stretchers have been invented wherein jaws are used to grasp the carpet, such jaws attached to arms pivoted together, so as to form pinchers or tongs, and a toggle-j oint interposed between ends of arms to operate the jaws by a connection from such toggle-joint hooked to an upright bar, the

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lower end of which is pointed so as to enter the floor and form a leverage; also, that carpet-stretchers have been invented consisting of a oonhook and main bar constructed in one piece, a carpethook mounted upon said bar, a bail or catch pivoted to said carpethook, and a lever pivoted to the bar and provided with notches with which said bail will engage; also, that carpet stretchers have been invented wherein a draw-bar and clutch is used to grasp the carpet, its opposite end pivoted or otherwise connected with an arm having its lower end pointed to enter the iioor, anda pawl upon the draw-bar held in engagement by a spring with ratchet-teeth on the arm to hold the arm in position.

In a prior application by me for Letters Patent for improvement in carpet-stretchers, now pending, I have substantially described and claimed therein the foot B, with its points a, and the lever A, hinged or pivoted thereto.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A carpet-stretcher composed of afoot, B, having points upon its lower surface to enter the floor, a 1ever,-A, hinged thereto, a drawbar, C, pivoted to said lever, in combination with tongs or pinchers EE,having the grooved lateral `jaws D D', and connected to draw-bar C by pivoting the end E" thereto and bolting the end of part E through a longitudinal slot d in draw-bar C, and the pawl Gr, pivoted to draw-bar C and engaging with ratchet-teeth v3 on lever A, adjusted and operating in combination, substantially as described.

ALEXANDER STOCKDALE. Witnesses:

J. W. STEWART, W. C. WARRINER. 

